Vitamins

Love to travel, or have to travel for work but hate the way it makes you feel and the time it takes to normalize?

If after traveling you’ve felt any of the following symptoms, you might be one of the estimated 94% of people that suffer from jet lag.

fatigue

insomnia

loss of appetite

reduced anaerobic fitness

nausea

GI distress

disorientation

reduced concentration

reduced aerobic fitness

joint swelling and stiffness

muscle pain and stiffness

restless legs

Here are few quick ways to help reduce the symptoms and get back to you faster.

Especially if traveling over multiple time zones, accept the fact that this will have an effect on your body and when available work with that. example. If you have a huge business meeting on a Monday morning, consider arriving a couple days prior to adjust. This is not always a reality for people especially with loved ones and children at home, or when extra finances come into play.

Supplementation with Melatonin- Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. One of melatonin’s key jobs is controlling the body’s circadian rhythm.Melatonin release is tied to the amount of light you experience. Light suppresses its release. When it gets dark at night and we turn out the lights, melatonin release is stimulated.

Crossing time zones, we may suddenly find ourselves exposed to excessive light when ordinarily, it would be our bedtime. Even a three-hour time difference can be significant. When this happens, our melatonin cycles become disrupted and we experience jet lag until our circadian rhythms adjust to the new environment.

The timing of dosing with melatonin is very important. Wait until you land in the new time zone to supplement; this will significantly reduce jet lag symptoms, improve sleep quality, and increase alertness and recovery.

Prep your body before hopping on that plane- try adjusting your wake and sleep cycle as close as possible to your destination’s time zone. This involves waking up and going to bed one hour progressively earlier or later (depending on which way you’re traveling) each day for three days.If you’re traveling east, wake up an hour earlier each day for three days. If you’re traveling west, do the reverse. You can visit JetLagRooster to help you determine your schedule.

Nutrition and exercise- Eating a moderate/healthy meal (low fats, sugars, and salt) the morning of your flight, and once your flight has landing trying to immediately start following the local meal times, with plenty of water during the flight will help to reduce the length of time you have symptoms.

If arriving during daylight, go for a walk. Regardless of how exhausted, you may feel, Light is the most powerful regulator of our internal biological clocks so we can use light cues to help minimize jet lag. Bright light tells the body it’s time to be awake, especially when combined with movement.

While in flight- avoid caffeine that has been shown to have a direct effect on circadian rhythm, get up and move, stay hydrated and eat minimal if anything at all. Also, Try catching some ZZZ’s- Blindfolds, ear plugs, neck rests and blow-up pillows are all useful in helping you get quality sleep while flying. Kick your shoes off to ease pressure on the feet.

How long can Jet Leg last?

Just like most questions pertaining to the amazing human body, the result may vary however, scientists estimate that it’ll take you one full day to recover for every hour of time difference.

Interestingly, the direction you travel can affect the severity of your jet lag symptoms. Traveling east is more difficult on the body than traveling west. It seems to be easier for our bodies to delay our internal clocks than to speed them up.

The science of it all:

What exactly happened to our bodies to make “Jet Lag”?

Jet lag originates in the nerve cells of the hypothalamus, this is the part of our brain that regulates temperature, sleep, circadian rhythms, appetite, and hunger.

This part of the brain has been around long before air travel and it responds slowly to changes in external time and light levels. This conflict between “inner time” and “outer time” is jet lag.

We are very lucky to have such an amazing option for traveling and gives us the opportunity to explore this beautiful planet we have. I hope at least one of these things help to make traveling that much more enjoyable.

Early studies have shown that it has a major effect on brain aging (did you know that at 20 years old our brains start to show signs of cognitive decline!!) The same study showed that sulforaphane can active a group of genes called Nrf2, these genes are thought to be essential to anti-aging and it’s believed they were once activated in all humans through stress responses like harvesting the land and having to protect oneself from wild animals. Nowadays we don’t really do these things anymore and therefore these potent free radical scavenging and detoxifying enzymes lay dormant. Sulforaphane can activate these genes supplying an abundance of anti-aging.

The benefits of this compound are endless, it’s also been shown to have a very profound effect on cancer prevention, not only prevention but in one study actually decreased prostate cancer cells from doubling (which they’re well known to do) by 86%!

It has been found to be a very promising chemopreventive agent against not only a variety of cancers such as breast, prostate, colon, skin, lung, stomach, and bladder but also against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes.

So what is it?

Sulforaphane is a compound found in cruciferous vegetables such a broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbages. There have been studies done on the extremely high amounts found in broccoli sprouts, I’m talking 100X the sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts as opposed to just broccoli.

Whats the best source for me to start adding sulforaphane to my diet?

Well, I’ve started growing my own sprouts in mason jars or you can buy sprout kits at your local health food store. Sprouting is very simple and very cost effective. You can buy them already sprouted but will be paying a way higher price and the longer the sprouts sit on the shelf, the higher risk of contamination they have.

I grow about 4-5 jars at a time and freeze the sprouts. They are great in smoothies or on salads.

Warning:

There are several supplements claiming to have sulforaphane but in order for it to be produced there must be presence of the pre cursor glucoraphanin and the enzyme myrosinase. Sulforaphane is only released when these two compounds mix and when the plant is damaged. (Aka chewing). Most of the supplements contain only one of the two necessary compounds and are generally very expensive so in my opinion it’s a better option to grow sprouts.

This amazing, health pioneering compound is only starting to pique the interest of the health and science world but I guarantee we will start to hear more and more about it.

For more information on Sulforaphane check out Dr. Rhonda Patricks Blog. She is one of the leading scientists in this domain and is one of my personal role models and has been a major inspiration to my life.

Through the summer months when we are outside in the sunlight your skin should be absorbing enough Vitamin D for you to be healthy. Now that summer is over and the days are getting shorter and shorter people will start to spend more time inside. As fall and winter set in, I think it’s very important to consider what Vitamin D does for your body and why it’s important to supplement during the months you’re unable to be outside with your skin exposed to the sun.

What does it do?

Vitamin D manages calcium in your blood, bones and gut and helps cells all over your body to communicate properly. Once your body absorbs the vitamin D, it then goes through a number of chemical processes to change it so that your body can use it.

The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Without enough vitamin D, one can’t form enough of the hormone calcitriol (known as the “active vitamin D”). This in turn leads to insufficient calcium absorption from the diet.

Vitamin D has several important functions. Perhaps the most vital are regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and facilitating normal immune system function. Getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D is important for normal growth and development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance against certain diseases.

If you are exclusively breastfeeding, you should also supplement your baby with Vitamin D.

Research has also shown that vitamin D might play an important role in regulating mood and warding off depression. In one study, scientists found that people with depression who received vitamin D supplements noticed an improvement in their symptoms.

What does a vitamin D deficiency in adults look like?

tiredness, aches and pains, and a general sense of not feeling well

severe bone or muscle pain or weakness that may cause difficulty climbing stairs or getting up from the floor or a low chair, or cause you to walk with a waddling gait

Contrary to the term Spring cleaning, spring is not the only time when our bodies need a little detoxification. Try this very simple yet effective detoxification cleanse to prep your body for flu season and the winter months ahead.

Society as a whole has become so focused on the appearance of a persons physical being or “meat suit” as I like to call it and has gotten away from what truly matters. A persons heart and soul, this is what truly make a human beautiful.

With that said…these…ahem… “meat suits” are what carry our beautiful heart and souls around in this world and help us to stay here for as long as possible soo.. here are a few ways to get healthier and shed some of those extra pounds.

Put the junk food down- I know, I know easier said then done but make small obtainable goals. If you’re a junk-aholic then take it day by day. Any improvement is a step in the right direction. For example if you eat a chocolate bar every day. Make your goal to not eat one today. Maybe you start by having one every second day, then have one every third then once a week on “cheat day“. If you eat out every day for lunch, start packing a lunch on Wednesdays, then Mondays and Wednesdays, then you will start to add days as you get used to it. I promise it will get better and you will start to feel better.

Drink Green tea- Green tea is filled with antioxidants that help destroy free radicals and has been shown to have powerful medicinal qualities. If caffeine is an issue for you then choose a decaffeinated green tea, just keep in mind the process of removing the caffeine also removes about half the antioxidants. Teas can also be counted towards your daily water intake, which is also very important for weight loss and overall health.

Get mentally healthy- We all know when we are stressed we tend to go towards comfort foods rather then the healthy options. Why do we choose these sugar filled, high fatty foods? Stress releases a hormone called cortisol or frequently known as “the stress hormone”, when you have increased levels of the hormone it can cause higher insulin levels, your blood sugar drops and you crave sugary, fatty foods. If you think this could be a part of your weight struggle or gain then talk to someone, start practicing yoga or meditation. You can find great guided meditations on youtube.

Move your body- Go to yoga, the gym, throw your head phones in and go for a walk outside or on your treadmill. One way I’ve found to help couch potatoes get up and find movement is to have a compromise. Bring your treadmill in the living room and save your favorite show for the 30-60 minutes you are walking. ONLY allow yourself to watch your show when you are walking on your treadmill. You will be surprised to find out how simply making a deal like that with yourself will get you up and moving, plus I guarantee the time fly by!!!

Don’t allow yourself to get too hungry- Keep healthy snacks like raw nuts, apples or coconut chips in your briefcase or purse. When that super hunger urge hits you, it’s often really hard to wait to make or find healthy options. Another good idea is to make sure you are eating smaller portions more often. This will help to avoid the sudden crash of energy and the need to have food immediately. One last thing is to make sure you never, ever skip meals.

Show how much money it actually costs to eat out- Every time you make a better choice for foods or eating at home, put away the amount you would have spent on fast food or the stop at the convenience store. If you’re a junkaholic or even a part time offender, you will notice how fast this money adds up and since this money would have been spent, use it for something you normally wouldn’t spend money on.

If you are struggling with your weight, there are many, many options out there for you. Don’t give up and don’t judge yourself when you slip up. If you feel like you’ve tried everything and nothing is working then it could be an issue with one of your glands or a deficiency in an important vitamin or mineral that keeps your body working efficiently. I have a special this month on nutritional assessments that would help to determine any of these things and if you mention this article i’ll take an additional $10 off. See my October monthly specials or contact me to book an appointment.

We all want to be healthy and live as long as possible but sometimes (most times) it can be very confusing to know what is actually healthy, one day it’s good for you and the next day it’s bad. One nutritionist says “do this” while another one says “never do that”. Part of the reason why is because research is ever evolving and because we are all so genetically unique. What works fantastic for one person, may have the complete opposite effect on another. My challenge for you is to give up one (or all) of the following items, even if you set a goal to do it just for a month.

In my opinion by avoiding the following three foods it could help you live longer, healthier and happier. I’ll include a few tips and tricks along the way.

Tip #1: Avoid Trendy fad diets, even if they work it’s will only be temporary and most are not set up to be done for a long period of time.

Number one food to avoid is: Margarine

First of all yuck! I’m conflicted on the title of this blog because items like Margarine are not even food, however they are being consumed in enormous amounts all over the world.

I’ve already written an article on how bad margarine is for you, but i’ll list a few of the highlights or click here to read the whole article.

There is nothing natural about it, It is loaded with artificial ingredients, and is usually made with industrial vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated to make them more solid. This increases their trans fat content significantly. Keep in mind that manufacturers are permitted to label their products with “no trans fat” as long as it contains less than 0.5 grams per serving, which is still a significant amount.

Soo….. eat butter instead. Butter contains many beneficial nutrients that actually protect us from heart disease. It contains Vitamin A, lecithin, it has a number of antioxidants, it’s rich in selenium. The saturated fats in butter have anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties. Butter also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which provides excellent protection against cancer. Bottom line, butter is natural, wholesome and one of the healthiest fats in the world.

Tip # 2: Drink plenty of water daily

2. Up next to avoid: Sugary Drinks

It is possible that Pop aka soft drinks might stimulate the appetite for other sweet, high-carbohydrate foods especially if you are choosing the diet options. Doesn’t make sense does it!!! Studies have shown that aspartame has been linked to increased appetite and weight gain. In fact, a study from 2015 demonstrated that animals exposed to aspartame during the prenatal period presented a higher consumption of sweet foods during adulthood and a greater susceptibility to alterations in metabolic parameters. Sugar or sugar free- these sweet treats should be avoided and are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic (1).

Tip #3- Take time to just be. Meditate or do yoga. Even just sit for 5 minutes with no distractions (phone, tv, music) and breathe.

3. Last but not least- Fried Foods

Many cancer causing ingredients can be found in foods that are highly processed and heated with extremely high temperatures AKA deep fried foods.

One of those toxins is called acrylamide. Some of the leading international agencies that study toxins have named acrylamide a carcinogen. Cigarettes would be a widely known carcinogen just for reference.

Not only do deep fried foods fill your body with toxins, wasted calories and bad fats but they also displace the good fats that our bodies require called EFA’s (essential fatty acids). EFA’s are responsible for many, many important functions in your body and mind but i’ll list a few:

So at the same time as you are filling up on garbage, your are also stripping your body of important nutrients that are clearly necessary to you health.

I could list and go into huge details about the many names of toxic ingredients found in deep fried food, we all know they aren’t good for us but none of them will mean anything until you hear those terrifying words come out of your doctors mouth “You have cancer”.

My goal is to help you avoid hearing this or at least reduce your chances of this happening. This is why I write these blogs, this is why I decided to go to school for nutrition. I’ve lost my father, cousin who was like a sister and most recently a very good friend of mine to cancer and although I know I can’t save everyone, even if my information helps one person, well I’m ok with that.

Seeds come in a variety of flavors, shapes and colours and all have varying nutrient content but one they all have in common is that they are convenient and healthy. Due to the fact that there is so much information on each of these amazingly healing seeds, this will be a series of posts about seeds and their benefits.

Today we’ll talk about one very powerful and commonly known seed called Flax Seeds (Linseeds).

Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a plant native to the Mediterranean that has been used as a food for well over 5,000 years. It became widely known throughout Europe after C.E., Charlemagne considered it so important that he passed laws and regulations requiring it’s consumption. It eventually was introduced to Canada in the seventeenth century.

Flax seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids and protein, are high in dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. They are also a good source of minerals phosphorous, iron and copper. Hippocrates wrote about using flax for the relief of abdominal pains.

You might surprised to find out that flax oil has nearly twice the level of omega- 3 fatty acid as compared to fish oils.

Flax contains ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) which has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. In fact, data derived from biopsies of breast tissue from women diagnosed with breast cancer compared to benign samples indicated that the women with breast cancer had a 64 percent lower ALA level. Another study concluded that the higher the ALA level in breast tissue, the less likely the cancer was to spread into the lymph nodes of the armpit.

Lowering cholesterol, weight loss, improving memory and brain health, reducing symptoms of Menopause and PMS are also a few of this tiny seeds capability.

What to buy and how to store Flax

Though you can eat them whole it’s much more nutritionally beneficial to grind them into a meal or powder.

I would recommend buying your flax whole if available in packaged form or bulk and preferably refrigerated. Just as you would with any other food if buying from bulk, make sure the bins are covered and that the store has a good turnover rate to ensure maximum freshness.

Look for evidence of any moisture and avoid if you see it.

Store your whole flax seeds in an airtight container in a dark, dry, and cool place, where they will keep fresh for several months.

You can choose to purchase ground flax seeds however, once ground they are much more prone to oxidation and spoilage. Whether you purchase ground flax or grind them your at home, once ground it’s important to store either in the fridge or in the freezer. Ground flax will keep in the fridge for about 6 months and in the freezer for about a year.

If flax seed oil is what you are looking for make sure to purchase only oils that are in a dark bottle and have been stored in the refrigerator. The oil should have a sweet, nutty flavour and you should never use flax seed oil in cooking but are able to add it to foods after they have been cooked.

How can I eat these wonderful seeds and what is a typical serving?

Typical serving size for ground or whole flaxseeds is 1-2 tablespoons. Flax oil can vary, so read the bottle for more information.

Quick serving ideas:

Sprinkle ground flax onto your hot or cold cereal

Pump up volume of your smoothies or shakes by adding whole or ground flax

Use flax seed oil instead of other oils in salad dressings, bread dipping.

Drizzle oil or sprinkle whole or ground over vegetables, pasta or rice.

Is Flax safe for everyone?

Flaxseeds contain a moderate amount of oxalate. Individual with history of oxalate containing kidney stones should avoid over consumption.

Here is list of other foods high in oxalates:

100% pure cocoa

Spinach

Beet greens

Cashews

Thanks for reading everyone and remember if there is anything you would like to see a blog written about please email directly at alicia@completebodynutrition.ca